Elderly

News about Elderly, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Feb. 6, 2015

Scott Cacciola notes pervasive camaraderie at McBurney YMCA in Manhattan as diverse group of aging men show up regularly for pickup basketball games (Series: Not the Knicks). MORE

Feb. 1, 2015

Medical data suggests doctors located in places where many retirees live, like Florida, expand volume of services, including unnecessary medical tests, in order to inflate their earnings; Florida in particular has become epicenter of Medicare abuse, and doctors in other states have begun warning their older patients to call them before agreeing to exams or other procedures. MORE

Jan. 14, 2015

Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders receives $1.2 million from New York City to expand senior programs; plans to open new senior center in Bronx, expand its Harlem center and work with other organizations to help LGBT seniors in Brooklyn and Staten Island. MORE

Jan. 13, 2015

Science Q&A explains why many health insurers pay for shingles vaccine only for people who are 60 and older. MORE

Jan. 12, 2015

Op-Ed article by endocrinologist Kasia Lipska warns treatment for Type 2 diabetes among elderly Americans may be too aggressive, putting them at risk of severe hypoglycemia, bad drug interactions and other complications; contends influence of drug industry may be partly to blame for problem; calls for elimination of catch-all blood sugar target of 7 in favor of case-by-case evaluation of patients. MORE

Jan. 5, 2015

Older adults account for a disproportionate number of pedestrian deaths, so they need to make sure they have enough time to cross a street. MORE

Jan. 4, 2015

Op-Ed article by author Anne Karpf questions why modern society seems to have such dim view of old people; observes that as she has grown older, it seems as if she is more able to savor life. MORE

Jan. 2, 2015

Marvin Wexler, hard-boiled commercial litigator skilled at defending commercial clients, pays monthly visits to Sarah Neuman Center, nursing home in Westchester County, to read poetry to senior citizens; Wexler, motivated by past experiences with his own parents, feels that readings are good way to connect with elderly. MORE

Dec. 15, 2014

My mother, ever the comic, used to drag out an annoying little routine at dinner parties to the effect that she and my father sent me to medical school specifically to supervise their old ages. Not the best choice, Mom. MORE

Dec. 9, 2014

Muko Journal; case against Chisako Kakehi, who is accused of killing her new husband Isao Kakehi in Muko, Japan, as well as five other men, has captured national headlines and prompted tabloids to dub her the Black Widow; if allegations are true, Kakehi preyed on one of biggest fears of Japan's rapidly growing legions of retirees, who fear spending end of their lives alone. MORE

Dec. 6, 2014

New York City Police officers arrest Brooklyn man Allah Justice McQueen in connection with scheme that defrauded elderly victims in California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Texas and Washington of more than $170,000; McQueen allegedly pretended to be victim's grandchild, typically crying and pleading with them over the phone to send him money. MORE

Dec. 5, 2014

David Brooks Op-Ed column expresses discomfort with deterministic nature of research on happiness in old age; professes preference for idea of elderly happiness resulting from accomplishment, not an inevitable condition. MORE

Nov. 23, 2014

Update column; nearly 60-year relationship between Peter Cott and Kenneth Leedom, who were interviewed in 2013 by the New York Times, came to an end following Cott's death from cancer in November; relationship offers insight into poorly-understood issue of growing older as a gay man, even in a city as diverse as New York. MORE

Nov. 4, 2014

Growing number of older Americans suffer serious injuries from falls, with more than 2.4 million over age of 65 treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries in 2012; such injuries can often lead to long recovery times, loss of mobility and independence or even death. MORE

Nov. 4, 2014

Experts who study falls and the injuries that result from them suggest preventative measures people, especially the elderly, can take to protect themselves from the potentially major health hazards of a fall. MORE

Nov. 2, 2014

Op-Ed article by geriatrician Louise Aronson laments that many modern architectural designs fail to take into account needs of elderly; contends current demographic realities are creating multiple incentives to build structures that are well suited to older people's needs. MORE

Oct. 26, 2014

Bruce Grierson article focuses on Ellen Langer, psychologist who showed that mental attitudes might reverse some of effects of old age, and is now studying whether same principle will work with cancer. MORE

Oct. 26, 2014

Neuroscientist Adam Gazzaley's research on games that are designed to help older people fend off mental decline stands out in a growing industry for so-called 'brain training' games, which are largely controversial; Gazzaley's work commands respect from even the harshest critics, and he has helped company Akili produce game Project: Evo, which is now in process of acquiring Food and Drug Administration approval. MORE

Sep. 29, 2014

Editorial notes that aging inmates make up the largest and fastest-growing segment of America's stubbornly huge prison population; argues that releasing older prisoners presents excellent way to reduce overcrowding, and is especially advantageous because elderly are the most expensive to house and the least likely to reoffend. MORE

Sep. 21, 2014

Democrats are stepping up their appeals to older voters in final stretch before midterm elections, spurred by polls showing that party has regained some support lost in Obama years; question remains whether Democrats can narrow gap with Republicans enough to offset their broader disadvantages given widespread dissatisfaction with Pres Obama. MORE

Sep. 21, 2014

Editorial asserts that aging generation of baby boomers is creating urgent demand for affordable housing that is accessible to people with age-related infirmities; calls on federal and state governments to step up to challenge. MORE

Sep. 21, 2014

Jennifer Conlin Reverse Parenting column says she was forced to order her mother's heart medication through pharmacies in Canada after Medicare stopped covering it. MORE

Sep. 14, 2014

New York City landlords and co-op boards are confronting a host of new challenges as its 60-plus population grows; that demographic increased 12.4 percent between 2000 and 2010, and is projected to grow 35.3 percent by 2030 to 1.84 million; some apartment buildings are becoming more accommodating. MORE

Sep. 13, 2014

Retiring column; Federal Reserve Bank of New York data shows that an estimated two million Americans 60 and older are in debt from unpaid student loans, up substantially at $43 billion, from $8 billion in 2005; money is being deducted from Social Security payments to almost 140,000 individuals to pay outstanding loans. MORE

Sep. 9, 2014

Science Q&A on difference between alcoholic dementia and 'regular' dementia in older adults. MORE

Sep. 6, 2014

Retiring column; legal and financial specialists say financial crimes against elders are taking a toll on lives and pocketbooks, and trusted caregivers are often the culprits. MORE

Sep. 3, 2014

A high-dose vaccine prevents older adults from catching the flu more effectively than the standard vaccine, researchers say. MORE

Aug. 12, 2014

Beach at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, only college-owned beach in New York City, is most often frequented by senior citizens during summer months, who can take classes at reduced rates; college's My Turn program allows older adults to take up to six classes for $80, including access to school's private beach (Series: Summer In...). MORE

Aug. 8, 2014

Jim Dwyer About New York column cites report by inmate advocacy organization Osborne Assn that casts doubt on life sentence as population of aging inmates continues to swell, along with costs of keeping elderly locked up; notes study comes at same time as two reports that underscore need for changes to way young prisoners in New York prisons are treated, as well as detrimental effects of use of solitary confinement. MORE

Aug. 2, 2014

Many real estate agents now specialize in helping older adults navigate through both practical and psychological aspects of finding new homes; these realtors help clients with everything from reverse mortgages and estate sales to packing and selling their belongings; so-called senior move managers address needs of clients that are somewhat different, and often less joyous, from younger home sellers and buyers. MORE

Jul. 30, 2014

New research adds to evidence that long-term use of some sedatives may be hazardous for older adults. MORE

Jul. 24, 2014

Juliet Macur Sports Of The Times column notes that group of five men in their 90s set world records in three relay events at the USA Track & Field Masters Outdoor Championships, simply because they were first group of nonagenarians to compete in a relay at an official meet. MORE

Jun. 21, 2014

Martin Luther King Addo, two-time former winner of Mr Ghana bodybuilding championship, works out of storefront gym that he opened in Lower Manhattan, helping frail seniors restore their balance, mobility and strength; Addo's clients vary in age and shape, but they skew older and female. MORE

May. 25, 2014

Travel Q&A with blogger Val Grubb, who shares tips she has gathered from vacationing with her octogenarian mother. MORE

May. 24, 2014

Phone swindlers prey on an elderly victim's sense of duty, presenting scams that catch them unaware and vulnerable; many seniors, who are targeted because of their retirement nest egg, do not report crimes out of embarrassment. MORE

May. 23, 2014

Op-Ed article by Dr Donna Zulman and psychologist Keith Humphreys contends medical research should not exclude older adults, which is a routine practice; outlines ways to address the underrepresentation of older adults in medical research. MORE

May. 22, 2014

Doctors who care for older patients see little use for popular nutritional drinks marketed to seniors. MORE

May. 21, 2014

Consumer Product Safety Commission announces first recall of adult portable bed handles, widely used in care facilities for older adults and people with disabilities, because handles can shift, creating gap that can crush or strangle a patient. MORE

May. 21, 2014

New York City will soon expand program allowing many older tenants of regulated apartments to freeze their rents; elected officials and advocates for the aged are pushing for public awareness campaign to ensure that tenants are taking advantage of program, known as Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption. MORE

May. 18, 2014

Ginia Bellafante Big City column applauds changing attitudes and focused public health campaign that have helped combat AIDS, but laments that same efforts have not been extended to rising epidemic of Alzheimer's; holds that distorted views on aging are partly to blame for oversight; says cultural reckoning to address denial of aging is needed before society can grapple adequately with Alzheimer's. MORE

May. 5, 2014

Alexander Imich at 111 years old is declared the world's oldest validated male supercentenarian by the Gerontology Research Group of Torrance, Calif, after previous record-holder Arturo Licata of Italy died on April 24; Imich lives on the Upper West Side of New York City. MORE

May. 4, 2014

Corey Kilgannon Character Study column on Dr Bernt Nesje, 67-year-old geriatrician who makes house calls; his rules for a house call are simple--the patient's home must be within walking distance of Nesje's Greenwich Village apartment, and the patient must be older than the doctor himself. MORE

May. 3, 2014

Residents of Prospect Park Residence, assisted-living center in Brooklyn scheduled to shut down in June, file lawsuit against the center and New York State Health Department, accusing operator of already failing to comply with its own closing plan by cutting back on basic services and not helping people find new places to live; lawsuit seeks to force the department to revoke shutdown plan and keep residence open for time being. MORE

May. 3, 2014

Ann Carrns Your Money Adviser column focuses on costs of hiring help to tend to aging or ailing family member; offers tips for finding agencies, assessing needs and gauging the costs of hired help. MORE

Apr. 30, 2014

Finding adequate housing has become an all-consuming preoccupation for many older New Yorkers, group whose explosive growth and changing housing needs pose new challenges for the city; New York's serious affordable housing shortage has affected older adults the most, especially the poor. MORE

Mar. 25, 2014

New York State Attorney Gen Eric T Schneiderman tells families with seniors living at Prospect Park Residence, assisted-living home in Brooklyn, that his office is looking into announcement that facility will be closing within 90 days; residents were told on March 5th that soaring costs will force the closing, causing a sense of panic among the more than 100 seniors who live in the facility and have few, if any, other housing options. MORE

Mar. 20, 2014

Research published in journal Nature suggests that memory and thinking problems of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias may be related to a failure in the brain's stress response system that normally protects the brain from abnormal Alzheimer's protein; experts say findings could spur development of new drugs for dementia. MORE

Mar. 15, 2014

Retiring column; while the seniors rights movement remains relatively muted, intensifying fear about retirement security could spur elderly agitators into the streets. MORE

Mar. 13, 2014

Researchers who have tried to tackle the elusive concept of wisdom have found that it is one of the most important qualities one can possess to age successfully, and to face physical decline and death. MORE

Mar. 13, 2014

Growing number of older adults either return to painting and sculpture in retirement or discover it in their old age; some experts contend that older people are primed for creative expression in ways that younger people are not. MORE

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